Learning The Guitar and SURVIVING

Remember when you were a child and you wanted to take off your training wheels? The first few times you tried to ride your bike without them, you probably fell. When you fell, you probably got hurt and maybe even cried. The tears and pain didn't hold you back from learning though, you prevailed.

Same goes with learning the guitar. It's just a little more complex. Once you learn the basics, you keep on learning. You never stop learning. You get sick of learning. You feel the urge to learn more. It's a complicated scenario, but it all adds up to the big ticket. Once you feel comfortable with your skill level, you may feel like moving up to a faster song. Just as a child grows, he or she may feel like moving from a bicycle to a motorcycle. The challenge is hard, long, and takes a lot of patience. But as you learn, you WILL have fun along your way (unless you are being forced along the way.) Which leads me into my tips. All of the following will most likely happen to you while learning the guitar. Honestly, they still happen to me. I've just taught myself how to deal with them.

#1. Sore Fingers- Sore may not even describe the pain for some of us. Let's face it- if you haven't picked up a guitar and played a chord, look into it before you decide to take it on. The good thing is, it isn't going to be painful forever. In order for the pain to subside, you must develop calluses. Don't worry ladies, they aren't as noticeable and weird as you might think. To get your hand (or hands if you play with your fingers) ready for the guitar, make sure you start out with healthy hands. Any sores on your fingers or pain elsewhere can dramatically effect your playing. Unless of course you are as gifted as Iommi!

You must play at least 4 times a week, or the callouses will begin to heal. Then you will have to rough them back up, which doesn't feel too good.
Take it easy on the smaller strings. They are significantly more painful than the thicker, lower strings.

Be sure to soak your hands in warm water after playing, and use a little Vaseline on the tender areas before you attempt playing. Most importantly, DON'T over do it. If the pain is too severe to play, try resting your fingers overnight and take it easy. If you do happen to over-play, try wrapping your fingers in bandages before you play again.

#2. Frustration
I am frustrated right now. I haven't been able to come up with a bass line for my song, and I have just stared at it for three weeks with no luck. I am trying to find a website that can meet my band-site needs. I am still a beginner at the guitar, and I can't do an F chord. But I realized one day, it's all part of being a musician. I can remember being a little girl and crying because I couldn't play Twinkle Twinkle little star on my keyboard. I eventually passed that, and realized that it is NOT impossible. When I finished playing Moonlight Sonata at the age of 12, I knew then that it will always be worth-while.

If you feel like you can't go on, and it's just not your thing, it's time to have a reality check. YOU have the desire to become a great musician, you have the heart, and you wouldn't have picked up the instrument if you didn't think you could do it. Don't let mental blocks set you back.

Take plenty of breaks. Like I mentioned before, don't strain yourself. There's a professional guitarist in you that is ready to emerge. It just takes patience, self-respect, hard work, and you're set.

#3. Meet People Who Play Instruments
I have learned a lot by myself, but I wouldn't have known how to approach some things without the guidance of my guitar-playing friends. Sometimes, there are actual cases where my question can not be correctly answered without talking to an experienced person. If you are a student, try taking some music classes at your school. Most of the time they are free, and filled with valuable resources. I am not taking lessons for guitar, so I am only going on the internet and friend's advice. Don't get me wrong, the internet can be a great place for finding excellent musician resources, which leads me onto the next tip.

#4. Using The Web As Your Music Teacher
I have learned so much from different websites. The only problem I had was having unanswered questions. (That's where #3 comes in.) I am not much of a forum-type person, so I found an even better way to find sites that suite my needs. Stumbleupon. If you don't know what it is, it's an add-on for Firefox and Internet Explorer. You just need an e-mail address to join. Once you install the toolbar you can search for websites that you could never find on Google or Yahoo. It's feature-rich for musicians of every type. Just select guitar as one of your interest (along with 100's of other topics you enjoy) and you will be showered with gifts from the website Gods. I have found musician sites that have helped me more than I could ever expect. There's loads of video tutorials, and even guitar tabs.

Join websites that offer tutorials for beginners. If you are willing to spend a little cash, there's even websites that will show you step-by-step secrets and tricks for learning at a high rate of speed. (Please, just make sure they're legitimate!)

These are just a few of the tips I have shared with others seeking advice about learning. I hope I have answered your question. As always, thanks for reading!